Method of forming stem guides



April 5, 1932.

R. H. MUELLER ET AL METHOD OF FORMING STEM GUIDES Filed Jan.

v v jwuwntoz zoberi /"/(/e//e/g 577/7767? M Feed W 8&7; 112 u I I dbtozn 4 Patented Apr. 5, 1932 UNITED v STATES PATENT oFFicE ROBERT H. MUELLER AND EMMET'I" M. REEDY, OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS,1}SSIGNOBS T'O IVIUELLER 00., OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS, A. CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS METHOD OF FORMING STEM GUIDES I Application filed. January .14, 1929. Serial 'No. 332,529..

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in flush valve mechanisms and has for its primary object the provision of an improved flush valve guide which will insure accurate seating of the flush valve and prevent the same from sticking to its seat while at the same time providing means for limiting the movement of the flush valve actuating mechanism.

Another important object of the invention is to provide an improved overflow coupling having the valve seat portion thereof formed to properly cooperate with the improved valve stem guide so that the latter is at all times retained in exact alignment with the center of the valve seat.

A further important object of the invention is to provide a method of forming the valve stem guide and the means for attaching the guide to the overflow coupling simultaneously to insure alignment of the valve stem guide with the center of the valve seat to which the guide is attached.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of the application, and wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention applied to a flush tank, parts thereof being broken away to illustrate the association of the mechanism with such tank,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the overflow coupling with the improved guide attached thereto, parts of the guide and coupling being broken away for the sake of illustrating details of construction, and

Figure 3 is a transverse horizontal section of the same taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Heretofore, in flush valve actuating mechanisms associated with the valves of overflow couplings, a valve stem guide is usually clamped upon the overflow pipe, and considerable difliculty is always experienced in securing and maintaining the guide directly over the center of the valve seat formed on the overflow coupling which gives rise to improper seating of the rubber flush valve and causes sticking of the valve to itsseat, thereby rendering it diflicult to open the valve with the usual actuating mechanism to say nothing of the damage incurred upon the valve, by this improper seating and sticking to its seat.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeralt designates a part of the usual type of flush tank having an 'opening in its bottom for the passage of a depending externally threaded pipe extension 5 formed integral with the overflow coupling 6. This coupling is provided with an annular shoulder 7 above the pipe extension '5 for engagement with a tapered rubber gasket 8 which is drawn into water-tight engagement with the edges of the opening in the bottom of the tank by means. of a jam nut 9 threaded upon the pipe extension 5 for engagement with the bottom wall of the tank. As is well understood, this pipe extension 5 is suitably connected with the fixture to be flushed.

Concentric with the pipe extension 5, the overflow coupling 6 is provided with an upstanding annular externally threaded flange 10, the inner periphery 11 of which'it tapered to form a substantially conical valve seat which is, of course, arranged concentric with respect to the pipe extension 5'.

The overflow coupling 6 is provided with a hollow lateral extension 12 which communicates with the body of the coupling beneath the valve seat 11 and terminates at its outer end in a tubular boss 13 communicating with the hollow body of the overflow coupling and adapted to receive the lower endof an upstanding overflow tube orpipe 14.

The improved valve stem guide comprises threaded flange 10 of the overflow coupling and is therefore exactly concentric with the valve seat 11. The valve stem guide opening 18 being directly in line and above the center of the ring 16, is obviously arranged directly above the center of the valve seat 11.

The method of forming this valve guide in sures that the opening 18 will be arranged in direct alignment with the center of the ring '16. This is accomplished by holdingctheyoke 15 in one pair of machine j awss while the valve stem opening 18 is drilled simultaneously with the formation of the threads upon the ring 16.

The usual hollow rubberflush valve 19 is adapted to cooperate with the seat 11 and is provided with a detachable stem 20 which as shown, is of uniform diameter where it had a close sliding fit in the elongated guide opening 18 in the valve guide and terminates in an eye 21 which is disposed a slight distance above the enlargement 17 of the yoke when the valve 18 is seated. An actuating link 22 terminates at its lower end in a laterally disposed eye 23 which is slidably engaged with the valvestem 20 between its eye 21 and the top of the enlargement 17, which latter forms an abutment against which the lateral eye engages when the valve is closed. The upper end of the actuating link 22 is extended through an opening 24 in the free end of a rocking lever 25 and is suitably bent to prevent its accidental detachment from this lever. The opposite end of this rocking lever 25 .is fastened to the shank of a handle 26 which is suitably mounted for turning movement in a wall of the tank 4 in the well-known manner.

is of sufficient length to engage a suflicient portion of the valve stem, as shown, to prevent lateral movement of the valve with respect to its seat during longitudinal movements of the valve and stem, thereby causing the valve to be accurately aligned with its seat during its movement at all times.

It is to be understood that various changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claim.

What we claim is:

The method of forming stem guides for overflow couplings consisting in forming a yoke upon a ring, forming an elongated guide boss on the yoke and extending the same medially upward from the top curved surface of the yoke and simultaneously forming an opening in the guide boss and threads upon the inner periphery of the ring, whereby to insure the opening in the guide, boss beng in alignment with the center of the ring when the parts are set up.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands. V v

' RGBERT H; -MUELLER.

EMMETT M. REEDY.

In operation, when the handle 26 is turned v to the right of Figure 1, it Will cause the free end ofthe rocking lever 25 to raise, causing corresponding movement of the link 22, lifting its eye 28 in engagement with the eye 21 of the valve stem, and thereby causing the valve 19 to be lifted from its seat to permit the outlet of water from the tank. This valve immediately ascends and is prevented from immediate closing by its buoyancy and does not return to its seat until the level of liquid in the tank lowers sufiiciently to permit the valve to be sucked down upon its seat by the out-rushing water. As soon as the actuating handle 26 has been released, the weight of the v rocking lever 25 causes the actuating link 22 to promptly slide down the valve stem until 1ts eye 28 rests upon the abutment 18, there- 

